New York State Governor, Kathy Hochul has declared her first state of emergency early Thursday as remnants of Hurricane Ida brought torrential rain and heavy flooding to the U.S. Northeast region.
Hochul tweeted;
I am declaring a state of emergency to help New Yorkers affected by tonight’s storm. Please stay off the roads and avoid all unnecessary travel.
The heavy rain was “far more than anyone really expected,” and left the region in “a very dire situation,” the governor was quoted by CNN as saying.
I am declaring a state of emergency to help New Yorkers affected by tonight’s storm.
Please stay off the roads and avoid all unnecessary travel.
— Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) September 2, 2021
Urging people to stay off the roads, the National Weather Service in New York said; “We are seeing way too many reports of water rescues and stranded motorists”.
Hochul’s declaration came about an hour after New York City Mayor, Bill de Blasio declared a state of emergency in his city.
“We’re enduring a historic weather event tonight with record-breaking rain across the city, brutal flooding and dangerous conditions on our roads,” the mayor said Wednesday night.
Flooding has killed at least 29 people, swept away cars, submerged subway lines and temporarily grounded flights in New York and New Jersey as the remnants of Hurricane Ida brought torrential rains to the area.
Ida landed in Louisiana as a Category 4 hurricane on Sunday and has weakened to a tropical storm.
See some photos from affected places below;
